Policy

Policy Priorities

NVHR Strategic Plan - Adopted June, 2012

Build the Capacity to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis

NVHR advocates for increased funding to the CDC Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) to at least $50 million for the development of an effective public health infrastructure for viral hepatitis prevention. DVH is funded at $17.6 million and states receive an average of $90,000, which is woefully inadequate for integration of viral hepatitis prevention messages into existing health program. There is no funding for community based organizations to conduct education or other interventions to limit the spread of viral hepatitis.

A chronic hepatitis B and C surveillance system must be implemented to monitor disease incidence, prevalence and trends in order to enable effective targeting of prevention messages.

NVHR advocates for the appointment of a position in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to coordinate an intra-agency response to viral hepatitis.

NVHR supports harm reduction principles and practices and advocates for lifting the federal ban on syringe exchange funding as an important step to viral hepatitis prevention.

Vaccinate America

NVHR advocates for dedicated federal funding to establish and manage an adult viral hepatitis vaccination program to prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Counsel, Test and Refer Persons at Risk

NVHR advocates for federal funding to provide core public health services for the 4.5 million Americans infected with the hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus.

Medical providers must be educated on the importance of vaccination and screening and best practices for the delivery of care for persons with viral hepatitis.

Care for Persons with Chronic Hepatitis

NVHR advocates for a health care reform package that addresses the needs of persons living with chronic viral hepatitis to include:

Expanding Medicaid for all low-income people, including childless adults, by eliminating current requirements that tie Medicaid to disability

Including a strong public plan option to help provide affordable access to comprehensive health care for people living with viral hepatitis.